“My stone shouldn’t solely be seen, it should be felt and touched” sculptress Silvia
Withöft-Foremny (SWF) explains. All of her objects are unique, signed and carved by
hand.
A trained civil engineer, SWF had her first contact with sculpting in 2004. “I was so
fascinated by working with stone and the possibility to create an object with soft
curves out of hard stone, that I made my hobby my profession,” she says. SWF selfeducated herself, finally completed a degree in “Figuration and Design”, became a
state approved artist and now works as a freelance sculptress. “Through my
autodidactic career progression, I have a different approach to art than ‘trained’
artists. I don’t feel obliged to a certain style,” she notes.
SWF often gets inspired by nature and symbols and uses so-called soft rock, such as
limestone for her work. Since 2007 she has been part of many exhibitions, national
and international.
Silvia WITHÖFT-FOREMNY (SWF) – Life and Work
1955 Born in Herne, Germany
1983 Diploma (master degree) in civil-engineering, University of Hanover
1984 - 2007 Working as project manager and consultant
2004 First contact with stone, starting self-education in sculpting
Since 2007 Working freelance as sculptress
Since 2010 Own work shop, Laatzen nearby Hanover
2011 State approval as artist
2010 - 2012 Studies in “Figuration and Design”: Graduation as State Approved Master Designer of Crafts
Since 2007 Numerous solo and group exhibitions, national and international
e.g. Admission to Florence Biennale 2019, Neue ArT Dresden 2018, Artexpo
Summer Rome 2018 (IT), ARTe Sindelfingen 2016, Lifestyle/infa Hanover
2016, KunstMitte Magdeburg 2016, Berliner Liste 2015, Eunique Karlsruhe
2015, Parallax Art Fair in London 2014 (GB), II. Art Biennial in Izmir 2013 (TR)
StatementThe cut stone itself is neither happy nor sad, neither beautiful nor ugly. It is founded in thebeholder, in his soul and in his mind, what and how a stone is. What does the beholder feel,what does he think, when looking at the stone? A sculpture can be a garden object as well asa tombstone.Does the stone appeal to the beholder? Does it hold on to the beholders eye? Does it causeemotions? Does the wish come up to touch the stone, to feel it, to capture it? If this is thecase, then, for me, it is a good stone and my work is felicitous.
Captivation and Work
That’s what is captivating me: Working with stone, slowly finding the form, the contrast of smooth / rough and the possibility to gain an object with soft curves from the hard stone. The outcome of my direct stone working are very different sculptures, showing free/abstract forms as well as figurative (plant, animal, man) or symbolical ones. All sculptures are unique and signed.
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Kurz - Deutsch
"Mein Stein sollte nicht nur gesehen, sondern gefühlt und erfasst werden", erklärt die
Bildhauerin Silvia Withöft-Foremny (SWF). Alle ihre Objekte sind Unikate,
handgeschlagen und signiert.
Als gelernte Bauingenieurin hatte SWF 2004 ihren ersten Kontakt zur Bildhauerei.
"Ich war so fasziniert von der Arbeit mit Stein und der Möglichkeit, ein Objekt mit
weichen Rundungen aus hartem Gestein zu schaffen, dass ich mein Hobby zum
Beruf gemacht habe", sagt SWF. Sie hat sich autodidaktisch aus- und weitergebildet,
schließlich einen Abschluss in "Gestaltung und Design" gemacht, wurde staatlich
anerkannte Künstlerin und arbeitet nun als freiberufliche Bildhauerin. "Durch meinen
autodidaktischen Werdegang habe ich einen anderen Zugang zur Kunst als
„gelernte“ Künstler. Ich fühle mich keinem bestimmten Stil verpflichtet ", bemerkt sie.
Sie lässt sich oft von Natur und Symbolen inspirieren und verwendet für ihre Arbeit
ein so genanntes Weichgestein, wie z.B. den Thüster Kalkstein. Seit 2007 ist sie an
vielen nationalen und internationalen Ausstellungen beteiligt.
